Brickwork behind Chimney Breast

[Mart_]

Hi all,

Started to remove our chimney breast, (threads merged) . Basically two of four joists did not sit on the inner leaf so a structural engineer advised putting a C24 bearer in situ and bolt, trim said two joists (which weren't supported) and fix with joist hangers. So all good there.

After carefully pulling away the plasterboard and first lot of bricks I'm left with this.

Looks a bit of a mish mash (thermalites and red brick) there's a flue behind the center red bricks (these still need to come out to make the wall flush)

Is it worth getting a builder in to chop out the bricks and tidy? or is it acceptable to stick some mortar in the gaps.

Eventually after reboarding and plastering we want to put a large flat screen on the wall. So not yet sure where or what we'll be fixing to. Thanks.

 

[tony1851]

What's wrong with it?
Looks perfectly sound to me.

 

[^woody^]

Sorry, but it was a Friday afternoon.

Yeah rebuild

 

[Mart_]

Yeah rebuild

Cheers woody.

We had a doorway bricked up a few years back so I've got the same people coming out today.

As we will be hanging a TV off this wall is there anything I can suggest (ply or something) to sit behind the plasterboard to make it stronger for said TV?

Thanks

 

[^woody^]

There does not look like there is a great deal of space between the board and the wall, so if it's dot and dab, then just get the plasterer to add a few more dabs (or is it dots?) in the general area of where the brackets will be.

Then use some long through-plugs or frame anchors. As these are aerated blocks, what I tend to do is use either Fischer "wet n fix" pads around the fixing plug to bond them in the holes, or some Polyurethane expanding glue (like gorrilla glue) and this holds fixings solid in the blocks.

If there is a big cavity then yes you could add some timber or ply to either fix to, or as packing.

 

[Mart_]

Thanks again woody!

 

[bobasd]

there will be a flue behind that jumbled masonry - you have an external chimney breast, and the single flue will lead up to terminate at the top of your chimney stack.
when you remove the jumbled masonry for rebuilding then check to see if the flue has been swept clean of soot?
also check to see if a SS liner was left inside the flue (the stack terminal only shows a bird cage not a liner termination device).
be cautious because the newly inserted "ledger" is being supported at either bearing end by joists on blockwork.

there will be no need for an internal flue vent - an air brick vent can be installed low down on the outside chimney breast.

 

[Mart_]

there will be a flue behind that jumbled masonry - you have an external chimney breast, and the single flue will lead up to terminate at the top of your chimney stack.
when you remove the jumbled masonry for rebuilding then check to see if the flue has been swept clean of soot?
also check to see if a SS liner was left inside the flue (the stack terminal only shows a bird cage not a liner termination device).
be cautious because the newly inserted "ledger" is being supported at either bearing end by joists on blockwork.

there will be no need for an internal flue vent - an air brick vent can be installed low down on the outside chimney breast.

Thanks bobasd.

I can just make the flue out by putting my hand through the brick work. You can see it from the top of the second pic.

Behind the red brick in the breast pic the flue angles/joins where I've drawn the green line.

Just so I know (as I'm going to get some builders in)

1) Can the flue be removed from this angle/joint and left in situ?
2) If this is the case, I assume it needs support of sorts? what's the score there? Bricks built up underneath?
3) With regards to the soot, if I don't get this swept then I'm in danger of stains coming through the plaster once its been patched up?

Thanks .. really appreciate the advice.

 

[bobasd]

OP, you dont seem to understand, so just let the builders at it - they might want to re-build into the room above, and expand the rebuild both sideways? i cant tell.

before any of the above you must have a GASAFE remove the gas fire, and cap the gas supply at source.
any elec cables/devices or plumbing pipes will also need seeing to.

 

[Mart_]

OP, you dont seem to understand, so just let the builders at it - they might want to re-build into the room above, and expand the rebuild both sideways? i cant tell.

before any of the above you must have a GASAFE remove the gas fire, and cap the gas supply at source.
any elec cables/devices or plumbing pipes will also need seeing to.

Thanks bobasd.

We had the Gas Engineer around on Friday morning, fire removed and Gas capped.

Then storm Denis threw us a favour, as rain stopped play for the local builder on the weekend and the outdoor job he was on got scrubbed. So we had our wall redone on Saturday.

Just a few bits like extra sockets/boarding and plastering and the sorting the floor where the hearth was before we can decorate the room.

Cheers

 

[bobasd]

well done - thats a top job. the blockwork is where and how it should be, and what a clean job. well done again.

fwiw: there's a air vent cover to the left - its probably redundant now the gas fire is gone, and can be removed and covered in.
any elec or comms plates on the walls keep at min of 400mm to 450mm off the FFL.

any more advice needed then just come back here.

 

[Mart_]

any more advice needed then just come back here.

Top man, much appreciated!

 

[the_sig]

Hi guys. First post here.

Mart_, We're looking to do the same as you however mine is a pre cast flue so built into the cavity. If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost to have it all finished up. First quote I've had is £1200 and i'm not sure if someone's trying to have my eyes out.

Thanks

Liam

 

[bobasd]

the-sig, if you have a pre-cast flue then its possibly very different to this OP's issues?
why not open a separate thread and post pics of your situation?